Ski binding having swivelable heel securing means



May 27, 1958 H. MARKER 2,336,428

SKI BINDING HAVING SWIVEL-ABLE HEEL SECURING MEANS Filed April 19, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 [N V EN TOR.

y 1958 H. MARKER 2,836,428

SKI BINDING HAVING SWIVELABLE HEEL SECURING MEANS Filed April 19, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 7d c== I 45. 4 I /9 I3 Z0 t 2/ I 23 I8 22 l 8 A w 1H 23 3 1 I O /5 4 l4 Z4 \Q 25 I9 T 9 J,

IN V EN TOR.

May 27, 1958 H. MARKER 2,836,428

SKI BINDING HAVING SWIVELABLE HEEL SECURING MEANS Filed April 19, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet s I IV V EN TOR. 117". f1 al jrefi May 27, 1958 H. MARKER 2,836,428

SKI BINDING HAVING SWIVEL-ABLE HEEL SECURING MEANS Filed April 19, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG/l3.

IN VEN TOR.

y 1958 H. MARKER 2,836,428

SKI BINDING HAVING SWIVELABLE HEEL SECURING MEANS Filed April 19, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR If HQIEKQZI' a 2,836,428 Patented May 27, 1958 SKI BINDING HAVING SWlVELABLE HEEL SECURING MEANS Hannes Marker, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany Application April 19, 1956, Serial No. 579,319 Claims priority, application Germany April 21, 1955 14 Claims. (Cl. 280-1135) This invention relates to safety ski-bindings to be used for downhill and goal runs and especially for racing skiers.

In the known safety ski bindings there is provided a pivotable front cheek which presses against the front edge of the ski boot and which pivots laterally whenever a predetermined torque is exceeded by the boot which is pressed against the front cheek by a conventional tension cable.

However, for typical downhill skiers, and more particularly racing skiers, this binding is not suflicient, since a certain lifting of the heel from the ski and lateral displacement thereof is still possible with the use of a tension cable. For this reason racing skiers prefer ski bindings with the conventional rigid side cheeks and with a transverse member secured on the ski below the flexible part of the boot and adjustable as to its width, said transverse member being provided with rings for the passage of a long strap.

With the aid of this long strap used as a heel, instep and ankle strap, the boot is fixedly clamped down to the ski so that lifting 011 of the heel is not possible any more. This long-strap binding used in connection with rigid side cheeks has the disadvantage, however, that injuries may easily occur in case of heavy falls or mishaps.

It is an object of the invention to provide a safety ski binding for typical downhill running or racing skiers with a front cheek abutting the front edge of the ski boot, which binding with the aid of a long strap ensures an extremely rigid and immovable seat of the ski boot on the ski while releasing the boot in case of heavy falls.

With this and further objects in view the ski binding according to the present invention comprises a swivel plate mounted on the ski below the ankle portion of the foot so as to be rotatable about a vertical axis, two laterally adjustable ring plates mounted on this swivel plate and provided with rings or loops for the passage of a long strap serving as a heel, instep and ankle strap, and

,a tightener which is inserted in the end of the strap seated in the groove of the heel.

By this construction for the first time the use of a long strap is rendered possible in connection with a pivotable safety cheek engagin the front edge of the ski boot. With the aid of the spring-acted tightener the boot is forced against the pivotable front cheek with sufiicient pressure. The swivel plate permits a release of the safety binding in case of excessive torsional stresses, i. e. in case of heavy falls.

Other and further objects, features and advantages of the invention will be pointed out hereinafter and appear in the appended claims forming part of the application.

In the accompanying drawings several now preferred embodiments of the invention are shown by way of illustration and not by way of limitation.

Fig. 1 is a side view, from the inner side, of a safety ski binding having the invention applied thereto, with the ski boot tightened in the binding,

Fig. 2 is a similar view from the outer side,

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the safety binding of Figs. 1 and 2 on a larger and strictly proportional scale,

Fig. 4 is a front view of the swivel plate and side cheeks of this ski binding.

Fig. 5 is a detail of Fig. 2 on a larger scale,

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a swivel plate of special design,

Fig. 7 is a cross section on line VlI-Vll of Fig. 6,

Fig. 8 is a side view in the direction C of Fig. 6,

Fig. 9 is an elevation of the opened tightener of this binding,

Figs. 10 to 19 show components of the swivel plate, 1. c.

Fig. 10 is a plan view of a swivel plate, Fig. 11 a cross-sectional view thereof, Fig. 12 is a plan View of a side cheek, Fig. 13 a front view thereof,

Fig. 14 a side view thereof,

Fig. 15 a plan view of the upper bearing Fig. 16 a cross section thereof,

Fig. 17 a plan view of a lower bearing plate,

Fig. 18 a cross section thereof,

Fig. 19 a bottom view thereof,

Fig. 20 is a central longitudinal cross section through the front cheek 2 in Fig. 1, and

Fig. 21 is a section on line XIsi-XXI of Fig. 20.

Similar reference numerals denote similar parts in the different views.

Referring now to the drawings in greater detail and first to Fig. 1, it will be seen that a ski boot 3 is clamped on a ski 1 by means of a special strap arrangement which will be hereinafter described, forcing the boot against a forward support cheek 2 forming an abutment for the front edge of the ski boot.

On principle, various front cheeks may be used in connection with the invention, but special advantages are obtained by using a front cheek of the type shown in Figs. 20 and 21 and described fully in my copending U. S. patent application Ser. No. 340,187 dated March 4, 1953.

The front cheek assembly 2 according to Figs. 20 and 21 comprises a main body 106 and a cheek 1117. The main body is mounted on a threaded pin 10% of a base plate 169, so as to be rotatable and vertically adjustable thereon by means of a threaded sleeve 110. The adjusted position of the main body can be locked by a pin 111 screwed into the base plate 109 which in turn is secured to the ski 1 by means of screws 112 and 113.

The check 107 is hinged to the main body 106 by means of a pivot 116 at a point which is eccentric to the pivot pin 108 of the main body 106, i. e., in the embodiment shown, to the rear of the same.

As will be seen from Figs. 20 and 21, the cheek 107 is recessed at its rearward face 117 and formed with teeth or the like 118, so that substantially only these plate,

teeth or only the outer ones thereof engage the front part of the sole. The cheek 107 is formed with an arm 107a reaching substantially over the longitudinal extension of the main body 106 and being locked at its free end by a snap mechanism comprising a ball 119, a ball socket 120, a spring 121 for loading the ball and a set screw 122 for adjusting the spring pressure by a knurled screw head 123. By the set screw 122 the pressure at which the ball acts upon the ball socket and thus the lateral pressure of the sole can be defined at which the ball 119 disengages the ball seat 120 and thereby releases the cheek 167, for lateral displacement, about the pivot pin 116 in the direction of arrows D and E. It

will be understood that the main body 106 is now also.

displaced in the direction of the arrows For G, respectively, so that the foot is permitted to swivel with respect to the ski in case of any mishap and excessive torsional strains.

The cheek 167 is provided with a retaining surface 123 acting upon the sole of the boot from the top and preventing the same from slipping out of the cheek in upward direction.

'Pivotally mounted on the ski 1 by means of a vertical pivot 8, Figs. 15, is a swivel plate 9 whose center axis should be arranged substantially below the ankle of the skier. Therefore, preferably the swivel plate is arranged V a bit more to the rear compared to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 where the swivel plate is shown as arranged slightly forward of the ankle portion of the skier simply for better illustration of the tigbtener. Mounted on the swivel plate are laterally adjustable ring plates 4 a and 5' provided with rings 6 and 6a for passage of a long Advantageously in addition to this tightener an elastic retaining member, preferably in the form of a helical spring 11, is inserted in this end of the strap, which retaining member on the one hand is secured to the ring plate 5 at 10 and on the other hand is attached to a coupling member which is connected to the tightening lever 14. 7

As shown in Fig. 3, thestrap end 7a issecured'on the tightening member 13 which advantageously forms a U- profile, the tightening lever 14 being shaped in such a way that it is sunk in the U-profile 13 if the tightener is closed, Figs. 1 and 2. The ring plates 4 and Sadvantageously are formed with angular or upright standards or side cheeks 4a and 5a adapted to hold the ski boot against lateral displacement.

The ski boot is fastened to the ski in the following manner: 7 7

According to Fig. 3 the long strap7 is passed through the ring 6 and then over the heel and'through the ring 6:; under tension, while the tightener 13, 14 is open, and then tightened around the heel, the ankle and the instep according to Figs. 1 and 2, the free end 71) of the long strap then beingconnected with a short strap end 17 fastened to the ring 6a, by means of a buckle 16 or the like. r The tightener 14 is then swung about the pivot 13 in the direction of arrow A, whereby the tightener is closed I and the boot is tightly urged against the front cheek 2 with tensioning of the tension spring 11. Simultaneously, when closing the. spring-acted tightener, the strap 7 is further tensioned, whereby a very-tight and rigid connecpivot laterally and release the boot which is able to turn about the pivot 8 together with the cheeks 4a and 5:1 and the swivel plate 9. V

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 3 to 5, this swivel plate forms a fiat U-profie for the reception of checks 4, 4a and 5, 5a, bent at right angles. The swivel plate is provided with two recesses 19, having each a lateral toothed portion 2%). Clamping members 21 fitting into these recesses and also being toothed laterally, are detachably connected with the cheeks 4, 4a, 5, 5a by screws 22. The recesses1'9 are wedge-shaped at 26, similarly to the toothed sides of the clamping members 21, so that upon tightening of the screws 22 the cheeks are tightly pressed against the swivel plate from below.

Furthermore, and as shown in the drawing, a base plate 24 is secured on the ski by means of wood screws 23,

2,sae,42se 7 e" said base plate. 24 being connected with the swivel plate 9 by a pivot forming riveted bolt 8, in such a way that the swivel plate is free to rotate, on the base plate 24.

A modified and preferred form of the swivel'plate according to the invention is shown in Figs. 6 to 8. According to these figures the swivel plate comprises abase plate 32 engaging the ski nearly on its full width, each of the two lateral cheek plates 33 and 34 having a'semicircular or U-shaped recess 35 at their respective aligned ends anda swivel plate 38 extending over these two plates 33 and 34 and holding toothed portions 36 and 37 (Figs. 6, i i and 12), formed on the swivel plate and the cheek plates, said swivel plate being provided with a bearing opening 39 and a bearing plate 40exte'nding over the swivel plate 38 and being'secured' on the ski 1 advantageously with several screws 41. Lateral cheek plates 33 and 34 in the preferred form as shown are provided at their opposite ends with three upwardly bent lugs '42and 43, the central lug 42 forming a cheek for holding the heel of the boot against lateral displacement, while/the two'outer lugs 43 are curled for forming a bearing for a ring 44. Engaged in this ring is a helical spring 45 which is connected'at 45awith the lever 46 of a tightener 47 which according to Figs. 6 and 8 is seated in a heel groove and connected with a long strap 48 which can be passed through the two rings 44.

In the preferred form as shown. in the drawings, both 7 the swivel plate 38 and the lateral cheek plates 33 and 34 a are rectangularly shaped. The swivel plate by means of downwardly bent edges 49 engages over the two plates 33 and 34 which are formed on theirinner side with a toothed portion 37 engaging in the toothed portion 36 of the cheeks 33 and 34. The two lateral cheek plates 33 and 34 have a *width 'b which is about /aof. the width B of the swivel plate. Owing to this relatively large width of the plates 33 and 34 engaging the skior the plate 32 with their full and flush surface,'these plates are held in a firm position bythe swivel plate 3.8 in marginal spaces formed therebelow, so that even with large 'forces acting upon the rings 44 the plates 33 and 34 are'pr'eventecl from exerting any tilting movements onthe ski.

The swivel plate 38 is formed with an annular depression 50 produced by a pressing operation, for the reception of the bearing .plate 40 in a sunk' or ne'stedposition.

Preferably, the bearing disk is bi-partite and "consists of the upper bearing disc 40 fitting in the annular depression 50 and a lower bearing disc 51 fittingin thekbearing opening 39 of the swivel plate 38. Provided between the upper bearing disc 40 and the swivel plate 38 is advantageously a bearing ring 52 of brass or the like which serves to permit rotation of the disc 38 even in case of high compression between the parts 40 and 38 and lack of lubrication.

' The slide or base plate- 32 advantageously'consists of a thin sheet metal, preferably a sheet ofbrass of a thickness of about 0.5 mm., while, the bearing disc 51 is formed with slightly projecting noses 53 (Fig. 19), on its under side. This formation has the advantage that these noses are able to depress or emboss the thin slide plate 32 slightly at the points of engagement, so that independently of the tolerance in the production of the components, the components 40, 51, 38, 33, 34 and 32 can be pressed upon each other in such a way, when tightening the screws 41, that no play is left between these parts. In this way a. very solid and stable support is obtained for the side plates 33 .and'34 although the same are swivelmounted. j r

All parts of the swivel plate are made of sheet metal stampings. Thus a very simple and cheap production is rendered possible. drawings that the swivel plate'has a very small; overall height corresponding.approximately to the thickness of V Moreover it will be seen from the were secured to the ski directly, in conventional manner, and thus offers to the downhill or racing skier an extremely tight and rigid fastening of the boot on the ski with long-strap tying. In spite of this tight fastening of the boot on the ski, however, the swivel plate is able to swing freely in connection with the action of the laterally swingable front cheek 2 shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 20, 21, in case of a serious fall, so that the danger of an injury of the leg is efliciently removed.

Another very important advantage for the racing skier who sometimes plunges at a very high speed of more than 100 km./h., consists in the fact that owing to the special construction of my ski binding the ski remains directly under the foot of the skier even if the binding has been released by a plunge and the boot thus has been turned with respect to the ski. The ski thus follows the plunging movement of the racer. It cannot remove itself from the racer and then impinge upon the same with its own kinetic energy with the result of dangerous injuries. The tied-up long strap rather keeps the boot of the racer close to the swivel plate to which it is secured. Only the dangerous lever force of the ski which might cause fractures of the leg, is eliminated owing to the swivel movement of the boot.

By way of alternative, two front cheeks instead of one as shown may be arranged in symmetrical position, and the construction of the pivotable safety cheeks also may be modified if desired.

While the invention has been described in detail with respect to certain now preferred examples and embodiments of the invention it will be understood by those skilled in the art after understanding the invention that various changes and modifications may be made with out departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and it is intended, therefore, to cover all such changes and modifications in'the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a safety ski binding having at least one front cheek secured on the ski so as to form an abutment for the front edge of the ski boot having a heel groove and adapted to pivot laterally in case of excessive torsional stress upon the boot; a swivel plate unit comprising a slide plate engaging the ski over nearly its full width, a pair of angle plates whose horizontal legs are semicircularly recessed, a pair of rings secured to the angle plates, a swivel plate overlying the two angle plates, respective interengaging means on said swivel plate and on said angle plates for holding the latter in predetermined position, said swivel plate having a bearing opening, a bearing disc fitting in the opening of and nested in the swivel plate, screw means securing the bearing disc said swivel plate and said slide plate on the ski below the ankle portion of the foot of the skier, said semi-circularly recessed legs being located about and out of contact with said bearing disc, thereby permitting rotational movement of said swivel plate with said angle plates about said bearing disc upon occurrence of said torsional stress, a long strap passed through the rings, and a tightener including an elastic retaining member inserted in the end of the strap adapted to engage said groove in the heel of a ski boot.

2. In a safety ski binding having at least one front cheek secured on the ski so as to form an abutment for the front edge of the boot and adapted to pivot laterally in case of excessive torsional stress upon the boot; a swivel unit comprising a slide plate engaging the ski over nearly its full width, a pair of angle plates whose horizontal legs are semi-circularly recessed, a pair of rings secured to the angle plates, a swivel plate overlying the two angle plates and holding the angle plates in position by means of interengaged toothed portions respectively provided on said angle plates and on said swivel plate, said swivel plate having a bearing opening, bearing means fitting in the opening and nested in the swivel plate, said swivel plate being of rectangular shape and overlying the horizontal legs of the two angle plates by means of downwardly bent edges, and the width of the also rectangularly shaped angle plates being approximately half the width of the swivel plate, screw means for secur ing said bearing means on the ski below the ankle portion of the foot of the skier, a long strap passed through the rings, and a tightener including an elastic retaining member inserted in the end of the strap adapted to engage a corresponding groove in the heel of the ski boot, said semi-circularly recessed legs being located about and out of contact with said bearing means, thereby permitting rotational movement of said swivel plate with said angle plates about said bearing means upon occurrence of said torsional stress.

3. in a safety ski binding adapted especially for downhill racing and having at least one front cheek secured on the ski so as to form an abutment for the front edge of the boot and adapted to pivot laterally in case of excessive torsional stress upon the boot; a swivel unit comprising a slide plate engaging the ski over nearly its full width, a pair of angle plates whose horizontal legs are semi-circularly recessed, a pair of rings secured to the angle plates, a swivel plate overlying the two angle plates and holding them in position by means of interengaged toothed portions provided, respectively, on said angle plates and said swivel plate, said swivel plate having a bearing opening, a bearing disc extending into the opening and overlying the swivel plate, each of said angle plates being formed with three upwardly bent lugs, the middle lug forming a side cheek while the two outer lugs are curled to form a bearing for'the respective ring, screw means for securing the bearing disc on the ski below the ankle portion of the foot of the skier, a long strap passed through the rings, and a tightener with an elastic retaining member inserted in the end of the strap adapted to engage a groove in the heel of the ski boot, said semi-circularly recessed legs being located about and out of contact with said bearing disc, thereby permitting rotational movement of said swivel plate with said angle plates about said bearing disc upon occurrence of said torsional stress.

4. In a safety ski binding adapted especially for downhill racing; at least one front cheek secured on the ski so as to form an abutment for the front edge of the boot and adapted to pivot laterally in case of excessive torsional stress upon the boot, a swivel unit operable in response to said stress and including a slide plate engaging the ski over nearly its full width, a pair of angle plates whose horizontal legs are semi-circularly recessed, a swivel plate overlying the two angle plates and holding them in position by means of interengaged toothed portions provided, respectively, on said swivel plate and said angle plates, said swivel plate having a bearing opening, a bearing disc unit located in said opening an annular depression about said opening and provided in the swivel plate, a bearing ring located in said depression for guiding said swivel plate about said bearing disc, and fastener means by which the bearing disc unit is secured on the ski substantially below the ankle portion of the foot of the skier, said semi-circularly recessed legs being located about and out of contact with said bearing disc unit, thereby permitting rotational movement of said swivel plate with said angle plates about said bearing disc unit upon occurrence of said torsional stress.

5. A safety ski binding adapted especially for downhill racing, comprising at least one front cheek secured on the ski so as to form an abutment for the front edge of the boot and adapted to pivot laterally in case of excessive torsional stress upon the boot, a swivel unit including a slide plate engaging the ski over nearly its full width, a pair of angle plates whose horizontal legs are semi-circularly recessed, a pair of rings secured to the angle plates, a ,swivel plate overlying the two angle plates and holding them-in position by means of interengaged toothed .por-

tions, said swivel plate having-a bearing opening, a bearing disc unit comprisingjtwo superposed. stamped sheet metal discs, the upper one of which fits in an annular depression provided in the swivel plate while the lower one fits in the bearing opening of the swivel plate, screw means by whichthe bearing disc'unit is secured on the ski substantially below the ankle portion of the 'foot of the skier,;a long strap passed through the 'rings, and a tightener with an elastic retaining member inserted in the end of the strap adapted to engage a groove in the heel of the ski boot, said semi-circularly recessed legs being 7 located about and out of contact with said bearing disc unit, thereby permitting rotational movement of said swivel plate with said angle-plates about said bearing disc unit upon occurrence of said torsional stress.

6. A safety ski binding adapted especially for downhill racing, comprising at least one front cheek secured on the ski so as to form an abutment for the front edge or" the boot and adapted to pivot laterally in case of excessive angle plates, said swivel plate having a central bearing opening, a bearing disc unit comprising two superposed sheet metal elements, the upper element fitting in an annular' depression :provided in the swivel plate while the lower one fits in said bearing opening of the swivel plate, a ring of a low friction metal inserted between the upper disc and the annular depression of said swivel plate, and fastener means securing the bearing disc unit on the ski substantiallybelow the ankle portion of the foot of the.

skier, said semi-circularly recessed legs being located about and out of contact with said bearing disc unit, thereby permitting rotational movement of said swivel plate with said angle plates about said bearing disc unit upon occurrence of said torsional stress.

7. A safety ski binding adapted especially for downhill racing, comprising at least one front cheek secured on the ski so as to form an abutment for the front edge of the boot and adapted to pivot laterally in case of excessive torsional stress upon the boot, a swivel unitincluding a slide plate of'a sheet metal of a thickness of about 0.5 mm. engaging the ski over nearly its .full Width,

a pair'of angle plates whose horizontal legs are semi-cirswivel plate, screw means for securing the bearing disc on the ski below the ankle portion of thefoot ofthe skier, a long strap passed through the'rings, and a tightener having an elastic retaining member inserted in the end of the strap adapted to engage a groove in the heel of the skiboot, said semi-circularly recessed legs being located about and out of contact with said bearing disc,

thereby permitting rotational movement'of said swivel plate with said angle plates about said bearing disc upon occurrence of said torsional stress.

8, In a ski binding for racing and like purposes having a front cheek for engaging the front edge of a ski boot and adapted .to pivot laterally upon exertion of excessive torsional stress on said boot; a first member fixed to and extending across the surfaceof the at a location substantially below the ankle of the skiers foot, whensaid means boot is applied to the ski, a second member located substantially centrally above said, .firstjmember and constructed .toprovide marginal spaces between said first member'and said second member, angular plate-shaped means havingopposite ends and alignedends, said aligned ends being positionedfor adjustment to each other within,

said marginal spaces, 'said plate-shaped-meansxbeing lishaped at their aligned ends and extending withthelr opposite ends laterally beyond said second member at substan for adjusting the. position of the latter'relative to heel of'said boot, means securing said second member and through the latter said angular plate-shaped means rotational movement relative to said ski, said-securing means'being substantially nested Within said secondmemher and being out of contact with said U-shaped' aligned 9. In a ski binding for racing and like purposes having a front cheek for engaging the front edge of a ski boot and adapted to pivot laterally upon exertion of excessive torsional stress on said boot; a first member fixed to and extending across the surface of the ski at a location substantially below the ankle of the skiers foot, when said boot is applied to the ski, a second member located substantially centrally above said'first member and constructed to provide marginal spaces between said first member and said second member, angular plate-shaped means positioned for adjustment to each other Within said marginal spaces between said first and second members and extending laterally beyond said second member and at substantially right angles, thereto, to form lateral checks for engaging the heel of said boot, securing means nested in said second member and retaining the latter with said angular'plate-shaped means for rotational movementrelative to said ski, and bearing means in engagement with said securing means facilitating said rotational movement.

10. A ski binding for racing and like purposes employing a front cheek for cngagingthe front edge of a ski boot whereby said front cheek is adapted to pivot laterally upon exertion of excessive torsional stress on said' boot; comprising boot retaining means positioned on the surface of the ski at a location substantially below the ankle of the skiers foot when said boot is applied to the ski, said retaining means including rotatable means, op-

posite lateral and angular-shaped plate means, said rotatable means being constructed to clampingly engage said angular-shaped plate means for positioning the latterbelow said rotatable means and for adjusting said angular-shaped plate means relative to'each other, interengageable means on said rotatable means and. on said angular-shaped plate means, respectively, to thereby hold the latter in predetermined position, said angulanshaped plate means extending laterally beyond said ski and at substantially right angles thereto,'to form lateral checks for engaging the heel of said boot in said predetermined:

position, .ring means connected to said checks to facilitate attachingsaid boot onto said rotatable means for normal skiing operation, .and means securing said rotatable means for movement relative to said ski upon exertion of said torsional stress, said securing means being located cell.

trally of and nested in a recess provided in said rotatable means, said angular-shaped plate means being spaced from said securing means. 1 a

a 11. A ski binding according to claim 10, including elongated strap means, tightener means shaped forlocationand engagement into the heel groove of the boot and'rearwardly thereof, said 'tightener means being provided with-two ends, one of said ends being attached to one of sand ring means, the other end of said tightener ly right angles thereto, to formlateral cheeks for engaging the heel of said boot, interengageable means on said second member and on said plate-shaped means 9 means being connected with said strap means, said strap means being threaded through another of said ring means to be Wound at least once ah ut the heel and the ankle of the skiers boot.

12. A ski binding according to claim 11, said tightener means including tension means extending between said one ring means and said tightener means.

13. A ski binding according to claim 11, including means connected to said other ring means for engaging and securing the free end of said elongated strap means.

14. A ski binding according to claim 10, the ends of said angular-shaped plate means located adjacent said securing means being semi-circularly recessed to avoid contact with the latter.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Lanz Aug. 21, 1945 Erwin July 4, 1950 Hvam Feb. 19, 1952 Whitaker Aug. 10, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS Canada Sept. 6, 1949 France Nov. 7, 1941 France Aug. 12, 1953 Switzerland May 18, 1948 

